They came from every generation and faith. But in bright Bank Holiday sunshine they united to pay their respects.

From the closest of relatives to complete strangers, thousands have visited the makeshift shrine near Woolwich Barracks, marking the scene where Drummer Lee Rigby was killed by cleaver-wielding fanatics last Wednesday.

His killers said they were acting in the name of Allah – but yesterday Muslims bowed their heads in prayer to honour the victim’s memory, and reject the vile hatred of those who butchered him in broad daylight.

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Heads bowed and hands together, these men paid their respects to the soldier butchered in broad daylight by fanatics inspired by Al Qaeda

Visitors came from across the country to see the scene for themselves

In remembrance: The number of floral tributes outside Woolwich Barricks has grown over the weekend as people pay their respects

Pensive: A young woman pauses for thought at the site of the killing before adding to the sea of bouquets

Sombre: A mother and child, and two men consider the messages, flowers and toys left for the machinegunner killed so savagely

Poignant: Flowers left at the scene where Lee Rigby, who was wearing a Help For Heroes Tshirt, was murdered by two fanatics brandishing firearms, knives and machetes

Hell's Angels pay tribute at the scene where Lee Rigby was murdered by two fanatics brandishing knives and machetes

Supporters applauded the motorbike procession, which had riders waving Union Jacks and flags supporting the British military

The corner of John Wilson Street and Artillery Place, last week stained
with blood, is now covered with moving messages for Drummer Rigby and
his family.

Local shops sold out of flowers as the sea of tributes swelled to 150
metres wide, in a scene that reminded some of Kensington Gardens after
the death of Princess Diana.

Jenny Abbott, 30, from Manchester, just a few miles from the Rigbys’
family home in Middleton, Rochdale, said: ‘Lee was from Manchester like
me and it’s the least I could do for him – come here to lay some
flowers.

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‘To be killed like that, just for being a soldier, is sickening. I can’t get my head around it.’

Biker Dave Murphy rode with 60 of his friends from Kent to Woolwich,
bringing a Help For Heroes flag to leave at the scene. ‘He was one of
us,’ he said.

‘He was one of the boys and we want to pay our respects.’

Sharon Wilson, 51, from Grays in Essex, placed flowers. ‘It is such a waste of life and I just feel so sad,’ she said.

‘Being here today with all these other people who wanted to pay their respects is really moving.’

Mother-of-one Suzy Jaworska, 39, a teaching assistant from Maidstone, Kent, said: ‘I just had to come and I’m glad I did.

‘I feel sick this has happened – that one of our soldiers was killed in
this way. The men who did this are not human. I keep welling up reading
the poems and letters left by different people who didn’t even know Lee.
It’s incredibly moving.’

Overcome: A young woman (left) dabs tears from her eyes as she lays flowers at the emotionally-charged site. Some of the bikers wore Help for Heroes t-shirts, similar to the one worn by the murdered soldier

The gathered crowd took photos of the spectacular cavalcade of motorcycle riders

People read messages and lay flowers for soldier Lee Rigby, at the scene of his murder in Woolwich

A woman (left) is overcome by emotion while laying flowers at the scene,
and World War two veteran Donald Hunt (right), 94, looks at the
tributes

In a statement last week Drummer Rigby’s family thanked the public ‘for
the amazing support’ and ‘goodwill wishes we are receiving from all over
the country’. The soldier, who served with the 2nd Battalion the Royal
Regiment of Fusiliers, had survived Taliban bombs and bullets during a
gruelling tour of duty of Afghanistan in 2009.

Tragically, in what his
family had assumed to be the safety of his homeland, he was run over and
hacked to death by Al Qaeda-inspired extremists near his military base.

Drummer Rigby’s mother Lyn, 46 and stepfather Ian, 54, were among relatives who placed flowers at the shrine on Sunday.

His widow Rebecca, 30, broke down in tears as she placed a large silver
balloon bearing the words ‘Dad in a million’ on behalf of their
two-year-old son Jack.

Mrs Rigby, from whom he was estranged, left a message reading: ‘My hero,
my soldier, my one true love. Until we meet again my angel I know
you’ll be watching over me and Jack. Love always xxx.’

The soldier’s fiancee, army colleague Aimee West, 22, visited Woolwich
on Saturday, having flown back from Helmand where she was serving with
the Royal Military Police.

She wept as she set down a bouquet of roses, with a message addressed to ‘the one I love’.

It continued: ‘My gorgeous wonderful loving fiance, you will always have
my heart and I know you will always be my guardian angel watching over
me. Rest in peace baby. All my love for ever and ever, your Princess
xxxx.’

VIDEODrummer Rigby's family made a heartbreaking visit to lay flowers at the scene this weekend